NHL insider reveals the exact amount of money Matthew Knies wants from the Leafs: it's absurd

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Daniel Lucente
October 26, 2024 (4:11 PM)

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NHL insider Nick Kypreos shed some light on exactly how much money Leafs forward Matthew Knies is expecting for his next contract and it's quite high.

Matthew Knies has been one of the bright spots so far this season, 2024-25, for the Toronto Maple Leafs. In eight games, he has three goals and one assist, while the team's record is a very underwhelming 4-4-0, including a very disappointing loss to the St. Louis Blues by the score of 5-1. Knies' energy and impact on the ice have not gone unnoticed, and he's quick to prove that any talk of a sophomore slump is quite premature.

The Arizona-born Knies has carried himself with great poise and acumen in his sophomore season, with many thinking his statistics don't quite illustrate the performance he's put on. If not for a few puck bounces going sideways on him, he could very conceivably be near a point-per-game clip. His blend of power and finesse has made him an indispensable part of the Leafs' top-six forward group, raising his profile as a star in the making.

One of the big talking points surrounding Knies is his impending RFA status. There has been much speculation over what kind of deal the Leafs will eventually offer the big-bodied power forward. According to Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos, Knies may not be as easy of negotiation as some initially thought; for comparison, he referred to another young star: Juraj Slafkovsky of the Habs.

Kypreos has used Montreal Canadiens forward Juraj Slafkovsky as a potential comparable for contract negotiations for Knies. Slafkovsky, fresh off a 50-point season in 82 games, signed for $7.6 million per year. Given that Slafkovsky's number comes with the expectation he could become a superstar due to his first-overall draft status, the question will be if Knies gets that same number as he's on pace to have a great year.

And that leaves, of course, the lingering question: Is Matthew Knies worth more than $7 million per season? While early-season form may suggest he can reach significant point totals, any long-term deal is going to have to balance current production with projected growth. The Maple Leafs are going to need to weigh those carefully as they move through the negotiations, but he's gaining value with each game.